Head coach Michael Carrick is remaining calm despite the fact Middlesbrough are still looking for their first win of the Championship season following a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield at the Riverside.
Boro made the Championship play-offs last season and are targeting another promotion push this term but lost their first two games of the campaign without scoring a goal.
But Carrick felt his side were much improved in the home draw with the Terriers, with Hayden Hackney rescuing a point for Boro with a stunning 61st-minute strike to cancel out Dael Fry’s own goal two minutes into the second half.
Boro, who sold last season’s Championship golden boot winner Chuba Akpom to Ajax this week, handed debuts to striker Emmanuel Latte Lath and left-back Lukas Engel.
Young summer signings Rav van den Berg, Sammy Silvera and Morgan Rogers were also in the XI and Carrick believes his team will get better and better as the new recruits find their feet.
“I thought it was a really encouraging performance to be honest,” he said.
“It was a really tough game. They’re a good team and really make you work for a result. The way they play, they’re really effective and tough to play against.
“I thought we did a lot of good things in the game, looked dangerous and created chances and probably, definitely, should have scored more goals.
“It’s kind of the way it’s going for us, we’re doing some good things and getting punished for things we should maybe do better but now and again you get away with.
“Things just aren’t quite dropping as nice as they might do but I’m really encouraged.
“At 1-0 down it can be frustrating, you can get anxious and doubt yourself but I thought the boys were terrific and should have gone on to win the game with the chances and how well we finished.”
Boro started well and had the better of the first half but Town had their moments, with Brahima Diarra hitting the post.
The Terriers burst out of the blocks after the restart and had chances to double their lead after the opener but after Hackney’s brilliant equaliser Boro were the better side and Aussie winger Silvera had a glorious chance to win it in stoppage time but skewed his effort over the bar.
Huddersfield, like Boro, are still winless and Warnock had mixed emotions after the draw against his former club.
He said: “There’s disappointment but at the end it’s relief when they had a couple of great chances.
“We got it right at half-time and in the first 20 minutes of the second half it was as good as we’ve played and that’s when you have to score your goals.
“That’s been the story of quite a few games, not taking our chances and giving silly goals away.
“We haven’t got the facilities to bring in the top players so we just have to get on with what we’ve got, not moan and enjoy it.
“I’m going to enjoy it. The lads did me proud. If we carry on like that, we’ll get some points this year. We can go anywhere and give them a game.”
Girona 0-1 Villarreal: Traore strike lifts Yellow Submarine
Bertrand Traore's goal gave Villarreal a 1-0 win at Girona on Tuesday that prevented the hosts from reclaiming second spot in LaLiga.
Girona, who have enjoyed a superb campaign, are third with 75 points, trailing Barcelona, who moved a point clear with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad on Monday.
Alexander Sorloth and Goncalo Guedes went close for Villarreal in the first half, but Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was in fine form.
Traore broke the deadlock in the 59th minute after latching on to a superb pass from Guedes, however.
Viktor Tsyhankov, Savio and Artem Dovbyk all went close for Girona, but could not find the back of Filip Jorgensen's net.
Villarreal were reduced to 10 men in the 95th minute after Kiko Femenia was sent off for a second yellow card after a push on Aleix Garcia.
Data Debrief: Rare home loss for Girona
Girona have suffered only their second defeat at Montilivi in LaLiga this season, following a 0-3 loss to Real Madrid in September.
The home side attempted 749 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in LaLiga this season.
Minnesota United v LA Galaxy: Berry hails veteran Caceres
Miguel Berry was the hero last time out for the LA Galaxy, but he hailed veteran defender Martin Caceres.
Berry scored in the dying seconds as the Galaxy salvaged a 2-2 draw with Western Conference leaders Real Salt Lake at the weekend.
It was a point that saw Galaxy maintain the two-point gap between themselves and RSL, with Minnesota United – who sit second in the West – next up for Greg Vanney’s team.
Berry’s last-gasp equaliser sparked wild celebrations, and Caceres – the former Juventus defender – was heavily involved, despite being a substitute.
And Berry was quick to point out the 37-year-old’s importance to the Galaxy’s squad.
“[Caceres] is one of those people who makes your day better every single day. He's incredibly funny and unique and he's had a great career, and he's such a big part of the group,” said Berry, in quotes reported by The Galactic Tribune.
“For him to celebrate like that with us shows how much it means. He's played Champions League finals, won Champions League finals and played four World Cups. It's incredible, guys like that, celebrate with the team, means a lot.
“It's obviously a great feeling as a team to have those moments and when you look back on your career and your life, those are the moments that stick with you.”
The Galaxy have drawn their last two games, while Minnesota head into Wednesday’s meeting on the back of three straight wins.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Minnesota United – Teemu Pukki
Pukki has scored five goals in his first two matches against LA Galaxy, the sixth player in league history to score five or more times in his first two matches against a single opponent and the first to do so against the Galaxy.
LA Galaxy – Riqui Puig
Puig recorded the primary assist on both of the Galaxy’s goals on Saturday, setting up strikes for Gabriel Pec and Miguel Berry. Puig’s 10 primary assists for the Galaxy have set up goals for nine different players with Gaston Brugman the only teammate he’s set up more than once.
MATCH PREDICTION: MINNESOTA WIN
Minnesota have won three consecutive matches for the first time since August 2022. The Loons’ only winning streak of longer than three games in all competitions was a seven-match run in June-July 2019.
Dating back to last September, the Galaxy have lost only four of the last 10 matches in which they trailed by multiple goals (W2 D4), including losing only one of four this year (W1 D2).
Galaxy have won six of their first eight meetings with Minnesota United (D2, including playoffs), but have won just one of the six meetings (D2 L3) since.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Minnesota United – 53%
LA Galaxy – 21.7%
Draw – 25.3%
Vilahamn wants to use FA Cup final defeat as 'beginning' for Tottenham Women
Tottenham Women manager Robert Vilahamn believes his side will use their FA Cup final defeat to start something special, rather than ending their good work.
Spurs were hammered 4-0 by Manchester United Women in Sunday's Wembley Stadium showpiece as Ella Toone and Rachel Williams were on target before Lucia Garcia's second-half double.
Vilahamn's side failed to manage a shot on target but the Spurs boss suggested his team will catch up to the women's elite clubs.
"The main thing I said was this is not the end, it is the beginning," Vilahamn said.
"We still have a gap between us and the top teams but that's normal. We are closing the gap but we haven't closed the gap yet."
Tottenham finished sixth in the Women's Super League as well as reaching this final, their first FA Cup showpiece appearance in their short history.
Vilahamn wants his Spurs players to use this defeat as motivation going forward.
"If you take away the feelings right now, you need to look at these players doing some incredible things this year," he said.
"We are at Wembley playing in front of our fans and they are actually enjoying it and staying, and supporting us after.
"We got a good experience today and we are learning how to play at Wembley more times. We need to look at it that way because the players are amazing."
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